LISTEN to the CROWD

 

MARCH 27, 2023

Psalm 118:1–2, 19–29

¹ Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    his love endures forever.

² Let Israel say:
    “His love endures forever.”

¹⁹ Open for me the gates of the righteous;
    I will enter and give thanks to the Lord.
²⁰ This is the gate of the Lord
    through which the righteous may enter.
²¹ I will give you thanks, for you answered me;
    you have become my salvation.

²² The stone the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone;
²³ the Lord has done this,
    and it is marvelous in our eyes.
²⁴ The Lord has done it this very day;
    let us rejoice today and be glad.

²⁵ Lord, save us!
    Lord, grant us success!

²⁶ Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
    From the house of the Lord we bless you.
²⁷ The Lord is God,
    and he has made his light shine on us.
With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession
    up to the horns of the altar.

²⁸ You are my God, and I will praise you;
    you are my God, and I will exalt you.

²⁹ Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    his love endures forever.

 

 Have you ever been part of a crowd that spontaneously burst into applause or cheers? How did that feel? What sparked the moment? The home team wins in the last moments of the game. The band opens their concert with their most well-known songs. The hero overcomes the conflict in the movie. Can you hear the crowd go wild?

This week we come to the end of the Lenten journey. Jesus enters the city of Jerusalem, and the crowds erupt in celebration with the words of Psalm 118. “Give thanks to the Lord!” “Hosanna (save us)!” “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!” “God’s steadfast love endures forever.”

The Hebrew people sang this song when their king returned to Jerusalem in victory. The king had inspired hope and joy in them by the latest conquest. Their trust in God’s steadfast love was rekindled in these events.

What might inspire these words of hope and joy in you this week?

Let's Pray

God, we give you thanks for this day that you have made. Let us rejoice in your steadfast love. Amen.